Flight
by lilMissWombat
Summary: One-shot. Merlin is captured and accused of letting the last dragon free, which let to the death of several civilians. His is to be burned at the stake by dawn. Will Arthur be able to save him in time? Or will Merlin be forced to use and show his magical abilities in order to save himself?


"Tell me the truth, Merlin! Did you set him loose?"

Merlin covered in the hallway trying to avoid Arthur's look. He felt the knights, Percival and Leon, eye him up. Gwaine too standing nearby having snuck into Camelot a couple of nights ago for a quick visit.

Merlin didn't know where to turn or how to react. He had just been on his way out to gather some herbs for Gaius, when Arthur had appeared out of nowhere demanding answers about the great dragon.

"Merlin! Answer me! Did you…", "I-I don't know what you are talking about!", Merlin interrupted him trying to play innocent and confused.

Arthur simply stared out him for a long time with a deep anger and mistrust in his eyes. Merlin felt how he started to sweat under the prince's unwavering stare.

"Merlin", Arthur said with a dangerously calm voice. Merlin would much rather have had him scream at him. "I am going to ask you once and if you truly are my friend, you are going to answer me honestly. Did you free the dragon?"

Merlin tried to relax his breathing. He looked towards Gwaine, his good friend, who only looked at him questionably. He looked up at Arthur, whose anger had disappeared leaving only behind the demand for answers. Merlin swallowed heavily, he opened his mouth already tasting the lie forming on his tongue, but no sound came out. With a shaky breath, he closed it again and looked away, not able to look Arthur in the eye.

The hit came out of nowhere and Merlin flew to one side, only held up by Arthur firmly gripping his hand and twisting it onto his bag. Merlin gasped for air, as Arthur threw him up against the wall. The left side of his face was burning, from where Arthur had hit him, and behind him he heard Gwaine protesting against Arthur's behavior.

"How could you do it, Merlin? How could you?!", Arthur yelled at him, while holding his arm in a firm grip behind Merlin's back. Merlin felt as if his arm might pop out of his shoulder and the pain radiated through him like a throbbing pulse. He never once thought about using magic to push Arthur away from him. He could never use his magic against Arthur.

The prince loosened his grip and turned Merlin around. Once again, the young warlock was pushed violently against the wall, now forced to stare into Arthur's eyes. Merlin writhed beneath the other man's look. Never before had he seen Arthur so angry and never before had he been on the receiving end of such anger.

The slightly taller prince leaned towards him with anger burning from him and said with calm anger; "I thought we were friends". Merlin looked at him with desperation and grasped Arthur's hand. "We are. Arthur, please.. You have to listen to me.. There is a reason for why.. I had to.. I…" Arthur let go of the warlock and took a few steps back, while never letting his eyes falter from Marlin's.

"Seize him".

Merlin looked at his friend with shock in his eyes and the other knights hesitated.

"Seize him!" Arthur angrily demanded. Percival and Leon quickly steeped forward obeying their prince regent. They grabbed Merlin firmly on each arm, but Merlin caught a glimpse of regret in each of the knight's eyes.

"Arthur, please…", Gwaine yelled behind Arthur, but Arthur held up a hand silencing him. He looked straight into Merlin's eyes as he said; "Throw him in the dungeons. Make sure he is restrained".

Merlin started to struggle as the two knights lead him towards the cells; "Arthur! Arthur, let me explain! Arthur!"

Merlin's cries dimmed as he was lead down the hallway and soon disappeared from their sight. Arthur and Gwaine stood in silence as they had both seen their dear friend being taken away.

"Arthur…", Gwaine began with controlled anger brimming from his voice. Arthur ignored the man and headed towards his chamber. Gwaine followed and as Arthur tried to slam his door in the other man's face, Gwaine angrily pushed it open. The door banged into the wall behind it, which made a portrait fall to the ground breaking the frame in the process.

"Arthur!", Gwaine angrily yelled.

"Close the door", Arthur calmly said leaning against his worktable not looking at the other man. Gwaine starred at the prince for a while, before turning around and closing the door behind them.

It took a lot of restraint from Gwaine, to not slam the prince regent into the ground beneath them.

"Arthur", Gwaine tried in a calm voice instead. "We both know Merlin. If he truly did set the great dragon free, he would have had a good reason. He…"

The man was interrupted by Arthur, whom turned away from him and towards the window instead looking out at the courtyard.

"Merlin is a good man", Gwaine tried again silencing the boiling anger he felt inside the royal man standing before him. "Loyal, honest and trustworthy. You know he would do anything for you. Anything for Camelot. He would never intentionally hurt this city and the people who live here".

"But he did!", the prince angrily exclaimed.

Gwaine was taken back by the hurt, he saw coming from the prince's eyes.

"I know Merlin!", the prince continued. "We both do! Marlin couldn't even hurt a fly. He always complains, whenever I drag him along on our hunting trips and he helps the other servants in his spare time. I know what kind of man he is, Gwaine, don't you think I know that?!" The prince had moved himself towards the table again, on which he leaned heavily as for support. "Which makes the whole thing even more confusing", he trailed of in a calm voice.

Gwaine looked at the man before him. He knew the type of bond Merlin and Arthur had to each other, most people did. He himself had been rather jealous of the two men sharing such a bond, when Gwaine counted Merlin as his best friend as well. But no matter the secrecies and conspiracies Merlin and Gwaine had shared, it would never measure up to what Arthur and the young servant had. This betrayal must hurt Arthur even more than the prince let on.

"If you only talked to him…", Gwaine tried.

"It doesn't matter what he did", Arthur cut him off with a deep sigh. "It doesn't matter if he had the best of intentions. What's done is done. Several dozens of people died. Merlin must pay for that".

Gwaine angrily stepped forward letting go of the self-control he had been sporting the last couple of minutes; "And what exactly are you going to do?! Have him executed? You can't do that, Arthur. It is Merlin we are talking about for god's sake!"

Arthur slammed his fist into the table making papers and pens jump up and down. "I know!" The prince turned towards Gwaine, whom could see the need for hitting something in the other man's eyes. Or someone. Right now, Gwaine would welcome any opportunity to beat the shit out of the prince regent in front of him.

"You will not do this!", Gwaine yelled at him.

Arthur gestured towards the air around them; "What choice does he leave me?! I must report this to my father and he will look at this as treason. The King will have no other choice but to order his execution!".

Gwaine took a big step forward minimizing the distance between the two angry men. "You said it yourself, Arthur", Gwaine snared at him. "What's done is done' Leave it behind in the past. Merlin's death will not bring back the dead. It will only make things worse".

Arthur also stepped forward leaving next to no distance between the two. "You have no right to ask this of me. I am the prince regent, I have an obligation towards my people. Towards the king…"

"What about your obligation to Merlin?", Gwaine screamed at him.

Just as Gwaine thought that he might throw himself at Arthur, a knock sounded from the door and Gwen's voice came through; "Arthur? Arthur, are you in there? I need to talk to you".

Gwaine looked from the door towards Arthur and said; "Maybe you will listen to her", before moving towards the door with angry strides. He rushed the door open surprising Gwen behind it, whom had her hand raised. She let it fall, as Gwaine moved beside him giving her nod and whispered not able to keep the anger from his voice; "Try talking some sense into him".

Gwen looked after him as he rushed down the hallway, before entering Arthur's chambers closing the door behind her.

She leaned against the door and looked at Arthur. "Don't ask me of it, Gwendolyn", Arthur said before she could speak. Once again, he turned towards the window crossing his arms and looked out at the people down in the courtyard.

For a long time, Gwen didn't speak behind him and it wasn't until he felt her hands on his tense arms that he knew she had moved. She moved her hands in front of him, hugging him from behind and leaned her head against his shoulder blades. Arthur felt himself melt beneath her touch and he wanted nothing more to reach around and kiss her, making himself forget the terrible situation Merlin had placed both of them in.

"What are you going to do?", Gwen whispered from behind his back. Arthur knew what he _had_ to do, but he couldn't bring himself to tell her that. So, instead he said; "I don't know".

Long they stood like that with Gwen hugging him from behind and Arthur feeling his heart beat faster by the second. Merlin was Gwen's friend too. He couldn't help but wonder, how she would feel about him, if he let his father rule down his judgement upon the servant.

Finally, Gwen loosened her grip, she stepped up on her toes and kissed Arthur's neck, before hastily disappearing out the door. Arthur felt the spot, where she had kissed, heat up, as he looked down upon the oncoming traffic in and out through the gates of the palace.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Merlin lifted his hands and nervously scratched his nose. He let his fingers run over the left side of his face, where he could still feel a kind of tingling sensation, from when Arthur had hit him. He winced at the pain, from when he touched his cheek. At least the prince hadn't broken something in his anger or had cut his skin open. Merlin didn't really think a scar would suit a man like him.

Merlin was nervous and a bit anxious about the whole situation but he had faith in Arthur. Arthur may be mad right now, but the prince knew that he could trust him. Right? Arthur's eyes had told another story though. Never before had he seen such a deep feeling up mistrust and betrayal in the prince's eyes, as he had when he found out the truth about Marlin and the dragon. Merlin shivered by the thought of Arthur's learning the rest of Merlin's secrets.

Merlin felt and heard his stomach starting to crumble and a deep sigh escaped his lips and filled the small cell he was in. It would probably be a while, before he would receive any form of food. And it probably wouldn't be nearly as good, as the food that he been so accustomed to steal off of his dear royal friend's plate, whenever he wasn't looking.

Merlin looked down upon the shackles around his wrist and leaned back against the cold brick wall behind him. He closed his eyes hoping to get in a little bit of sleep. He figured that he would probably be here for a while.

-o-

Uther Pendragon looked at his son, who just moments before had entered the room demanding an audience with the king. In private. An audience with the king in private was never a good sign, not even when it was the prince regent requesting it and Arthur had certainly not failed in this category.

"Where is the boy now?", the king asked his son.

Arthur didn't waver from the eyes of his father, as he placed his hands behind his back and answered; "In the dungeon, where I ordered my knights to take me".

Uther nodded; "Good". Uther continued to nod as he neared his son with a big smile on his face. "You did good my son", he said as he placed a proud arm around his sons shoulders. "The culprit responsible for the deaths of so many people and release of the dragon has finally been found. You have made me proud, son".

Arthur moved out from behind his father's arm, took a deep breath and said; "Father, if I may. Merlin is my servant and he has served me well for a long time now… "

"I know, I know", Uther waved him off moving towards his table again, where some documents about taxes laid spread out. Not seeing the plead and distress in his son's eyes, he lifted a document and started reading it as he absently said; "You couldn't have predicted this. You did nothing wrong".

Arthur swallowed a lump in his throat and approached the king yet again. "Father, Merlin is a good man. I am sure he must have had a good or at least misguided reason for releasing the dragon".

At this Uther looked up at his son with a stunned expression on his face. "What exactly are you saying, Arthur?".

Arthur felt that he was on thin ice and tried to maneuver gently upon it. "What Merlin did was wrong. People died and the damages to the city was catastrophically. He should pay for that". Arthur looked away for a short moment, before straightening himself forcing him to look directly his father's eyes and not show any weakness. "I merely suggest that you spare his life". As soon as Arthur had said the words, he saw how badly they fell with his father.

The king looked at his son and calmly lay down the document in his hands. "You would have me spare a servant boy's life, a life who has taken countless of others, a life who very nearly cost me the life of my own son. Have you gone mad?"

"Father…", Arthurs continued.

"No", the kind interrupted him angrily shaking his head and turning away from him. "I will hear of no such thing. The boy will be burned at the stake tomorrow for conspiring against his kingdom with use of a magical being.

"Father!", Arthur protested.

For several hours Arthur tried to persuade his father to change his mind, to show mercy upon Merlin, but his father would hear none of it. At one point Arthur had become so desperate that he had even tried to change the way of execution. If Merlin were to die, a thought still unthinkable to him, a quick way to go would be the best. Being burned at the stake was the most painful way to die of them all and no matter what judgement Arthur had expected from his father, that had not been one of them.

Later the same evening he lay in his bed after having had an ignorantly obedient manservant named George help him undress. He hadn't been able to fall asleep and had spent the last three hours twisting and turning in his bed. He couldn't stop thinking about Merlin. The pedestal on which his friend would be burned had already been made and more wood would arrive in the morning. His friend... Was Merlin still his friend? Through the years the two had formed an unspeakable bond to each other and even though Arthur would never admit it, he cared deeply for the young man. Which only made the betrayal that much harder to swallow.

Once Arthur had heard of it, he refused it. The mere thought of Merlin going behind his back like that, risking and killing dozens of innocent people was a thought so unreal that is was almost comical. He had been inclined to not believe the sorcerer, who had forced his way into his room, but the man had shown him a vision of his dear friend. He had seen with his own eyes, how Merlin cut of the shackles which tied the dragon. Naturally, he hadn't believe his own eyes and thought it was simply a trick to turn him against his own servant. The sight had sprout a doubt within him and he had decided to confront Merlin head on.

Oh, how he had hoped Merlin would have succeeded his test, proving him a fool to believe anyone who wielded magic. But Merlin hadn't even been able to come up with a prober lie. How did this happen? How did his most trusted ally, become an enemy of the kingdom expecting to be burnt at the stake tomorrow morning?

With a growl the crown prince threw away the blanket covering him from the night cold, put on his clothes and stormed towards the dungeons. He would have to figure out, why exactly this had happened.

-.-.-.-.-..-.-.-.-.-.-.-..-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Merlin felt his heart beat heavily in his chest. A couple of hours ago, he had overheard the guards talking about him. He hadn't been able to hear the entire conversation, but he had heard the words 'dragon' and 'burn at the stake', which didn't promise anything good. Still, he had refused to believe that Arthur would let it come to this. Arthur must know that Merlin was to be trusted. No matter how mad the prince regent might be at him, Arthur would never let him suffer a painful death on the stake. Merlin simply couldn't believe it. Arthur wasn't that type of man. He would never betray his friend, even if felt that they had betrayed him.

Shortly after however, he had heard the workers outside and had grabbed the steel bars in front of the small window lifting himself up to see. He had seen a great assemble of people forming a pedestal and atop it huge tree planks were tight together. Merlin had seen enough witch burnings to recognize what he saw and he felt his stomach turn. All food had left him and he had dropped down to the floor.

Surely, this was a mistake. This couldn't be real. It simply couldn't. Merlin felt as he was ripped from reality and plunged into his very worst nightmares. There had been times, when Merlin had awoken from his bed with a heavily beating heart and sweat drippling from every inch of his body. Those nightmares had always contained either Uther or Arthur finding about him having magic. The worst nightmares however had been Arthur finding out about him. The betrayal he had felt within those dreams had haunted his waken hours and had nearly made him feel resentment towards the real Arthur.

Merlin sat at the ground, where he had placed himself several hours ago, when he heard footsteps nearing his cell. It is incredible how familiar you can become with another person's footsteps and the warlock sprang up with hope in his heart. Arthur appeared in front of his cell after a few moments, scowling at Merlin. He banged at the door, signaling the guard, whom had followed him, to open the door. The guard did so immediately and the prince entered the cell uttering the words; "leave us" to the guard, without removing his eyes from Merlin.

Merlin felt his mouth dry up at the sight of the sheer anger in his friend's eyes. They listened to the sounds of the guard's footsteps disappearing down the hallway and Arthur waved his hand in the air.

"Well", he said "explain yourself".

Merlin probably should have spent less time worrying about his future and more time coming up with a suitable explanation he could tell Arthur. He couldn't very well tell the truth. "I…", Merlin tried out before his voice broke.

"I don't have all day Merlin", the prince grunted and rolled his eyes. The familiarity of the situation almost brought a smile to Merlin's face, but he restrained himself.

"Arthur, I…", he began and walked towards his friend, but was held back by the cuffs around his wrist, which we linked to the floor with huge metal chains. He and Arthur looked down on the chains, both visibly uncomfortable with the situation. "I didn't have a choice Arthur", the servant continued looking up at the other man. "You have to believe me. If there had been any other way, I would have taken it".

Arthur looked at him long and hard before sighing loudly. "Why don't you just explain yourself", Arthur leaned his back on the jail bars behind him.

And so Merlin began an unimaginable tale of Kilgharrah, the dragon, whom had threatened, no tricked him, into setting him free. Arthur knew Merlin and his kindhearted nature. Merlin knew that it was against the law, but the dragon had lured him to him with some kind of magic and had manipulated into cutting off his chains. The dragon must have used some kind of spell, because the next thing he knew a sword was in his hand on which the dragon had breathed turning it into a magic sword. Merlin had swung the sword towards the chains and it had been as easy as cutting cheese. Before Merlin could think twice about his decision, the dragon had taken off leaving Merlin behind with a glowing sword.

Arthur had not changed the expression of ignorance currently being played out on his face during the entire storytelling and now that Merlin was done, Arthur didn't react. He looked at Merlin for a long while, before asking; "Why didn't you come to me?"

"I was scared", Merlin hastily answered. At least there was some truth to that. No matter how much faith he had in Arthur, it did nothing to remove the deep fear he constantly felt of Arthur learning about his secrets.

Arthur sighed in front of him and lightly shook his head. "Well stupid that you are, but certainly not a crime for which you should be burnt at the stake".

Merlin winced at the words, even though full aware that that was never going to happen. If all else failed, he would kill the fire with a single look and maybe even make it rain in order to still keep his magic a secret.

Arthur walked around the room for a bit, occasionally looking towards the chains holding Merlin. He finally stopped and said; "I will talk with my father. He will learn your side of your story and I will plead your case once again".

Merlin's stomach plummeted at the announcement. That was it then. There was no way Uther would bow down, especially not know when he had had people working on Merlin's stake all day. He would lose face, which was something Uther couldn't afford to do. Nor desired to do.

"He won't change his mind", Merlin sighed helplessly, and he thought he might see some doubt in his friend's eyes.

"He must", Arthur said. "I am the prince regent after all. He cannot simply deny my request". But Arthur and Merlin both knew exactly that that was exactly what he could do.

Desperately Merlin yelled out; "I am being burned at the stake tomorrow, Arthur!" Arthur looked towards him with a desperate look in his own eyes. "You have to do something now!"

Arthur furrowed his brow and gestured helplessly with his hands; "What exactly do you expect me to do, Merlin?!", he yelled. "You let loose the last dragon, which went after and killed several people. We are lucky that any of us survived at all!" Merlin looked at his angry friend and saw how helpless Arthur felt.

"I am going to die, Arthur". Merlin's voice was barely louder than a whisper. "If you do not get me out of here tonight, I will die tomorrow. You and I both know that". Merlin knew that he was not in any real danger, but Arthur didn't know that. To Arthur this was really a life and death situation. To him Merlin's life really was at stake and Merlin held his breath to see, what type of reaction that would force out of Arthur. Would he finally step up and be there for Merlin, as Merlin had been there for him so many times before?

Arthur looked at Merlin and the warlock could see the war going on inside of his friend. Arthur was noble to a fault and no matter how unreasonable his father may seem at times, Arthur never disobeyed him in any serious matter. But Arthur was also loyal to a fault. The people Arthur let into his life and threw his loyalty upon, he rarely let go again.

Finally, Arthur seemed to have come to a decision and his eyes fell down on the floor between the two young men. "I will speak with my father immediately", the prince said not looking at Merlin as he entered the room and called the guard to lock up the cell door.

Merlin fell down at the cold floor, his legs unable to bear him. The pain he felt radiate from his heart took his breath away and he feared he might be having a heart attack. He felt tears sting behind his eyes, but he forced them back. He had no words for what had just happened. His thought was a complete mess and for a long time he sat there on the cold hard cell floor gasping for air. Arthur, the man he had risked so much and sacrificed so much for, had just signed Merlin's execution.

Merlin hadn't been able to sleep at all after Arthur's departure. He couldn't stop thinking about the prince's betrayal and that he had let Merlin been sentenced to die tomorrow. At the stake nonetheless.

He probably should have taken of during the night and blown the mere metal wrists holding him to the cell. But he stayed. Every minute he kept telling himself that Arthur was going to turn around and change his mind. Every hour he told himself that Arthur would soon find his way back to his cell and set him loose, even if it meant that Arthur would break the law in the process.

Surely, the man Merlin had been serving so faithfully all these years, the once and future king, would not let his friend be burnt. Like some common sorcerer. If only Arthur knew the truth about Merlin. How exactly would he react then?

Earlier in the evening, before Arthur had come, he had heard Gaius by the door. The guards hadn't allowed him access, which had infuriated his mentor a great deal. Gaius must be incredible worried, Merlin thought. But he too, as Merlin, knew that he could easily escape.

At some point around dawn Gwaine had paid him a visit. Merlin had heard the sound of a great turmoil down the hallway, where the guards where and shortly after, Gwaine had shown up in front of his cell bars with a set of keys in his hand and a sword in the other. "Let's get you out of here", his old friend ha said as he unlocked the shackles holding Merlin to the ground, but Merlin had refused to leave.

Gwaine looked at him dumbstruck; "Merlin, they are going to execute you in a few hours!"

Merlin simply shook his head and said; "Arthur will come". He will come. He must come. Merlin didn't let his doubt portray itself in his voice.

Gwaine had long tried to convince his young friend that he should leave with him, but Merlin had held his ground never faltering in his faith in Arthur. In the end Gwaine had simply looked at him and said; "He doesn't deserve you, you know that right?"

Merlin had smiled a bit at this and said; "I know". Gwaine had disappeared quickly down the hallway, before the guards started to wake up.

Now, Merlin sat leaned against the brick wall and saw the morning light spread itself throughout his cell. He wondered if he should have gone with Gwaine. If Arthur didn't show up soon, if he didn't somehow manage to get Merlin out of this, Merlin had only one other option. He didn't like that other option very much. He would be forced to use his magic in front of everyone outside in the courtyard, which wasn't exactly the way he wanted to let Arthur know about him.

Merlin sighed. If it was going that way, then it would just have to be like that. Still, he hoped and begged to the very last minute that Arthur would come. Even when the guards took and started leading him towards the courtyard and execution spot, he looked around every corner half-believing that his friend would storm out from one of them and stop this whole nonsense. Merlin understood what he had done. Many people had been killed and many more could have joined them. There were no words for the guilt he felt because of that, but that was his burden to bear. He did not think however, that his actions caused reason for his execution.

Merlin was guided into the courtyard, where a great assemble of people already stood. The sounds coming from the herd of people silenced, when they saw the entertainment for the day near them and every eye watched him, as the guards let him towards the great stake. Merlin looked up at the balcony to find Arthur. When he did find his friend next to Uther, the king, Merlin couldn't help himself.

"Artur!", he screamed at the top of his lungs. He was too far away to see any reaction in the other man's eyes, but he saw the prince crossing his arms as to shield himself from what was about to happen. Merlin threw caution in the wind and forgot everything called dignity; "Arthur, please! Stop this! You know you can stop this!"

He saw Arthur leaning forward saying something to his father, but Uther simply lifted a hand silencing him. Arthur looked down avoiding Merlin's eye contact and Merlin stopped struggling against the guards trying to take him up the stake.

On his way up the wooden stairs his eyes fell on some of the other knights, standing against a wall. Sir Leon and sir Percival both avoided his eyes along with some of the other knights. Most of the knights, that Merlin knew, didn't have the guts to look him in the eyes, but some of them did and he looked accusatorily into each and every one of them. He knew that they could not go against their king, but Merlin still felt the sting of their betrayal.

He searched the crowd spotting Gwen with tears streaming openly down her face next to Gaius, who had a face of horror painted on him. There was a man standing with a cloak over his shoulders standing a little way from them and when the man lifted his head, he saw that it was Gwaine. The man looked as if he was about to storm forward and rescued Merlin in front of everyone. Merlin couldn't let that happen.

As he stepped on to the pedestal, where he was sentenced to die, he once again searched for Arthur. The prince looked at him and if Merlin had been closer, he would have been able to see the true horror and helplessness glowing out from his friend's eyes.

Merlin felt a tear fall down his face as he realized that no other help was coming. Arthur was going to let him burn and Merlin didn't really know what he had expected from the king. The prince couldn't very well rush down the stairs and over to him finding of the guards. Except that that was exactly what Merlin expected from him and he knew, that Merlin would have done it to help Arthur.

Gwaine's voice rang clearly in his head from this morning; _'he doesn't deserve you, you know that right?' _Merlin knew. Oh, how he knew. And so he closed his voice not able to see his longtime trusted friend in the eyes as he whispered the words; _"ubenæm mindulika sinhunga". _Merlin felt the guards let go of his arms from the shock of what they saw. People around him screamed in shock, horror and confusion as the winds around him hastened and he started to disappear.

The last words he heard before leaving the palace was the words; "He is a sorcerer!"

The words belonged to Arthur

-o-

Arthur hadn't been able to move for several minutes, when he saw his dear friend take off in a whirlwind of magic. Somewhere to his sight he registered Uther yelling out commands, asking his guards why they hadn't taken prober precaution. He felt his father asking him a question, but Arthur felt unable to speak. He simply stared at the platform, where his friend had just disappeared from not knowing what to feel about the revelation. Fear, anger, betrayal was definitely in the mix. But most of all he felt relief.

Having been standing there just moments ago seeing his dear friend about to be executed was the hardest thing he had ever been forced to do. His father had been incredible stubborn all night and no matter what argument Arthur threw at him, his father held his ground. They had argued for several hours, until Uther finally had called in some guards and ordered them to restrain his son. He had been locked into his chambers for the last couple of hours until dawn and had desperately tried to come up with a solution.

Arthur was ripped from his thoughts, when he felt his father's hands on him shaking him to live.

"Arthur!", his father yelled at him. "Did you know?!" His father stared at him with such an anger in his eyes and Arthur couldn't help but look back with the same anger in his.

"Of course not", he said pushing away his father.

Uther looked at him for a while before turning around on his heel towards his workroom yelling commands to left and right.

Arthur followed behind at his heel and heard his father mumble something like; "a sorcerer right in our midst. In the heart of Camelot. How did I let this happen?" Arthur walked behind then and had to blink several times. His eyes stung with unshed tears of relief for his friends escape.

-o-

Merlin found himself landing in the forest. He had known exactly where to go, when he had taken off. He tried to walk deeper into the forest, but his legs wouldn't bear him. He knew that Uther would probably have a search party out for him, but he just couldn't get his legs to obey him right now. He stumbled down to the ground gasping for air. Somewhere in his mind he registered the shackles still wrapped around his wrists, but he didn't care. He didn't care about anything right now. He had just revealed to everyone, including Arthur, that he had magic.


End file.
